16 Best EDC Flashlights

An EDC flashlight is one of the most important parts of your everyday carry collection, especially after stumbling home at 2am and dropping your house keys somewhere in your 2 acre front yard. That’s just one possible scenario, but you get the picture.

An EDC flashlight is a necessary addition to a fully-functional everyday carry ensemble, especially when you actually need it and there’s not enough moonlight to deliver the light need to mitigate the aforementioned scenario. In contrast to the larger tactical flashlights carried in your backpack or in your vehicle, EDC flashlights are smaller, more portable versions that fit easily in your pocket, in a pocket organizer, or on your keychain for everyday use.

For the discerning everyday carrier, we’ve compiled this list of the best EDC flashlights in no particular order. Some of them are brighter than the others, and some of them are more tactical than the rest. But one thing is for certain, the 16 best EDC flashlights listed here in no particular order will shed some much-needed light on your existing everyday carry collection.

Pixel Keychain Flashlight

Whether you prefer to carry it in your pocket or on your existing key ring, the Pixel Keychain Flashlight was created specifically for everyday carry thanks to a super compact and water resistant, stainless steel design. Additional features include a bright, 25 lumens LED bulb, twist on/off operation, and a square body that prevents rolling on flat surfaces. – Buy It

Preon P1 Mini Flashlight

One of the best from FourSevens — the Preon P1 Mini – is a highly-functional EDC flashlight with six distinct output modes — low, medium, high, strobe, beacon, and SOS — depending on your needs, along with a pocket-friendly 3.35 inch design, a durable, optical-grade glass lens, and a type III hard-anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum construction with integrated knurling for a superior grip during use. – Buy It

Beta-QR Flashlight

Designed for everyday carry, the keychain-friendly Beta-QR flashlight is machined from lightweight aluminum and features a handy quick-release that separates it from your keychain when it’s services are needed. Despite it’s compact size, the Beta-QR does quite well at shedding some light in the dark, providing up to 60 lumens of light output from a single AAA battery. – Buy It

MecArmy Titanium EDC Flashlight

A solid, lightweight utility flashlight for everyday pocket carry, the MecArmy Titanium Flashlight is powered by a micro USB rechargeable lithium ion that is good for 130 lumens and up to 6 hours of continuous operation. Additional features include a 59 meters beam distance, an integrated key ring for carrying on your keychain, and a lightweight titanium construction that is submersible in water up to 2 meters. – Buy It

Olight S10R Baton

With it’s high-output, 400 lumen LED bulb, strobe mode, and four brightness levels to choose from, the Olight S10R Baton is one of the most powerful EDC flashlights on this list. A super compact design that measures in only slightly larger than a standard C battery makes it ideal for everyday carry, while an integrated power indicator and Micro-USB charging dock renders it much more functional than a typical disposable battery-powered version. – Buy It

FourSevens Quark Flashlight

We’ve featured the FourSevens Quark Pro many times on our weekly Everyday Carry series, and for good reason. It’s compact, keychain-friendly design is out-shined only by it’s tough, aircraft-grade aluminum housing, impact-resistant lens and knurled finger grip, and 205 lumens bulb that’s good for up to 12 hours on a single battery. – Buy It

Streamlight Microstream

Streamlight’s Microstream Flashlight has become an EDC favorite over the years thanks to it’s compact, pocket-friendly size and super bright, 1/2-watt LED bulb. It’s waterproof, virtually unbreakable, and has a shelf life of up to 30,000 hours Add it to your everyday carry arsenal and you won’t regret it. – Buy It

SOG DarkEnergy Flashlight

In addition to their line of affordable yet quality tactical knives and multi-tools, SOG makes one of the best EDC flashlights on the market. it’s called the SOG DarkEnergy, and it features a bright, 214 lumens Cree R5 LED along with four different operation modes, an integrated belt clip for more carrying options, and an IPX-7 water resistance rating. – Buy It

Zebralight SC52

Zebralight knows a thing or two about illumination, which is apparent with their SC52 flashlight. Despite it’s compact design, it can produce over 250 lumens of light output from a single AA battery, the most of any other EDC flashlight of it’s size that runs on a AA battery. – Buy It

FourSevens Atom AL

Both super compact and pocket friendly, the Atom AL flashlight by FourSevens is just as functional as it is reasonably priced. Even better, a stainless steel construction renders it tough enough for everyday carry, while a 110 lumens LED bulb provides plenty of light. – Buy It

Surefire E1D Defender

If you require raw, unadulterated light output from your EDC flashlight, then look no further than Surefire’s E1D Defender. It’s 300 lumens beam of light is bright enough to both light up a dark room and blind an impending attacker, while a push button tail cap and a 47-hour, 5 lumens low beam setting only add to it’s everyday functionality. – Buy It

Cortex Compact Flashlight

With a line of trusted knives, tactical pens, fire starters, and flashlights, Gerber has no doubt secured their place in the everyday carry market. One of their best-selling EDC flashlights to date is the Cortex Compact Flashlight — a AA battery-powered, 125 lumens machined aluminum unit that utilizes variable-battery use technology and an optional strobe mode for tactical applications. – Buy It

Bullet LED Flashlight

The Bullet LED Flashlight weighs only 6 grams and measures in at 10.5mm x 30mm—making it the world’s smallest LED flashlight. It features a weatherproof, aerospace-grade aluminum construction, 15 lumens of light output, and an integrated key ring for easily attaching to your existing keychain setup. – Buy It

Fenix E12

No bells and whistles here, but that’s what makes the classic, tried and true Fenix E12 such a great flashlight to carry day in and day out. It’s machined aluminum alloy exterior will stand up to abuse day in and day out, while an easy-to-operate tail cap switch turns the device on and controls it’s selection of brightness settings. Additional features include 130 lumens of light output from a single AA battery, a reach of 88 meters, and a run time of up to 22 hours. – Buy It

5.11 TMT L1 Flashlight

5.11 does tactical gear very well, and that includes flashlights. Their TMT EDC flashlight — despite it’s compact, pocket-friendly design — pulls out all of the stops. Included in the flashlight’s design is a lightweight yet durable, impact and water-resistant aluminum construction, an output of 212 lumens of light, 3 separate operational modes, a metal pocket clip, and a break-away lanyard. – Buy It